Match Me if You Can, book #36

 

Usually I love all of my hometown girl Krista Phillips' books I have read, but this one did not live up to what I had hoped.  It *is* a novella, so I guess she had to pack a lot into less than 150 pages, but I think I might have liked it more if there was more room to flesh it out a little. Also, the premise of this series is absolutely ridiculous.

However, for the record, I was looking for a quick read to hold me over to November when I like to start reading Christmas books.  However also, I just learned that I guess the other people in the two book clubs I'm don't enjoy reading Christmas books in December, as they picked reguloar books.  So I'm just going to read them fast so I can get onto what I really want to read 😊

There is no way this matchmaking thing is going to work...Ava Raleigh is going to strangle her best friend. Conned into going on a trip to the Bahamas for "Matchmaking" Week, Ava determines to do everything she can to not be matched. Former NFL football player Sean Jackson is only on this trip because he loves his mother-nothing more. Sure, he feels guilty that some woman is paired with him and will be disappointed that he isn't interested-but that's bound to happen to most of the couples anyway, right? Will this unwilling match end up finding love after all, or will the past come back to haunt them both? (picture and description from Amazon)

It's almost Fa-La-La season!

Melissa

Ten Years Taken, book #35

 

This book stumped me.  Let me tell you why.  

I was going to read it after I finished the insane Rachel Price book, but I knew I would need a little break since it looked like they were going to be somewhat similar.

I was the one who chose this book for our regular book club, and I was so excited to read it.  I absolutely LOVE Susannah B. Lewis as a person and her FB posts make me laugh out loud and ponder many things.  I had just had the opportunity to see her (and my other two podcast besties Angela and Fran) at a women's conference back in October.  That was the first time I had met her and she was just as lovely in person as she is on FB.  Real, gritty, hilarious, in love with Jesus and her fam.  I have read another one of her books and thoroughly enjoyed.  

And don't get me wrong, I loved this book too.  It looks like it was written earlier, in fact this may have been one of the first ones she wrote, although Amazon says this is a revised edition, so I'm not sure what was revised.  My challenge was, there was language in here that made me uncomfortable to read.  That made me uncomfortable to think about this being from a Christian author. At this point, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt, in that this was probably written when maybe she didn't have as much Jesus in her.  And we all know, nobody's perfect.  I am *certainly* not throwing the first stone, as I know there are just as many that could be thrown at me.  I was just a little embarrassed that I had raved over Susannah and how amazing she was as a Biblical teacher to my Book Club Buddies, only to then read the book and see the language in it.  

On a rainy September day in 2001, a stranger enters Elle Holley’s car and forces her to drive hours away from her Nashville home. The terrified young mother fears her life will soon end at the hand of her abductor. But Elle learns that her kidnapper, Jonathan Marsh, is a prominent Houston businessman who claims to be saving her from a life of middle-class monotony by taking her home to Texas, marrying her and molding her into the ultimate socialite. With a new identity, Elle is forced to play the role of Jonathan’s loving housewife, and it doesn’t take long for her to discover that her new husband is an incredibly powerful and cunning man. Elle is accepted by high society, and she slowly forms friendships, but soon secrets are uncovered that leave her wondering if her husband is truly the villain. Will Elle Holley ever be reunited with her daughter and with her life of middle-class monotony? (picture and description at Amazon)

But we keep reading anyway ... 

:)

Melissa

Autumn by the Sea, book #34

 

This book has been sitting by my bedside table for a while just waiting for the perfect time to read it, and October was the perfect time!  I have read other book by this author, but it has been a while.  She does get a little detail heavy at times, but the story was great!  I can't wait to read the others in the series -- after I read my Christmas books! :)

Abandoned as a toddler, Sydney Rose has spent years wondering who she really is, homesick for a life she’s never lived. When a private investigator crashes into her world, she finds herself heading to a tiny seaside town in Maine to meet a woman named Maggie, who’s searching for the granddaughter she lost decades ago.  If not for Maggie, Neil MacKean might still be back in Scotland, bereft and alone. Instead, he has a full life in Muir Harbor with an adopted family he loves and a blueberry farm to run. But the farm is struggling and strange occurrences have him concerned. Worse, Maggie’s once again caught up in the past, convinced she’s finally found her long-lost granddaughter.  Worried for Maggie, Neil is suspicious of the city girl who shows up at the farm. But there’s something about Sydney that tugs on him, drawing out secrets he never meant to share. While Neil grapples with the future of the farm, Sydney wrestles with a past that’s messier than ever. Together, they’re pulled into a mystery complete with a centuries-old legend, unexpected danger . . . and a love as deep and wild as the sea. (Picture and description at Amazon)

I'm finishing up one book for Book Club, then I will be ready to start reading Christmas books!  I usually read them in November and December because there are so many good ones!

Happy Halloween!

Melissa

The Cumberland Bride, book #33

 

Interesting little book for a break from the craziness of the last one. Pioneers, indians (good and bad), the whole nine yards of goodness! :)  Not sure I would read the rest in the series, except that there are different authors who wrote the different books, so that may tempt me at some time.  But I also have over 400 books on my paperwhite, plus the paperbacks here crying for attention.  

Thomas Bledsoe and Kate Gruener are traveling the Wilderness Road when conflicts between natives and settlers reach a peak that will require each of them to tap into a well of courage.  In 1794, when Kate Gruener's father is ready to move the family farther west into the wilderness to farm untouched land, Kate is eager to live out her own story of adventure like he did during the War for Independence and to see untamed lands. And she sets her sights on learning more about their scout, Thomas Bledsoe. Thomas's job is to get settlers safely across the Kentucky Wilderness Road to their destination while keeping an ear open for news of Shawnee unrest. But naïve Kate's inquisitive nature could put them both in the middle of a rising tide of conflict. Is there more to Thomas's story than he is willing to tell? Is there an untapped courage in Kate that can thwart a coming disaster? (picture and description from Amazon)

I have about 3 weeks left before reading Christmas books so I'm trying to decide what book to squeeze in before I start on my book club book.  I got a great new non-fiction book, but I'm not sure I'm feeling that just yet.  

Keep reading!

Melissa

The Reappearnace of Rachel Price, book #32

 

Oh my filpping word!  This is the book we read for FHS Faculty Book club.  At first I was intrigued, then I wasn't sure I was going to like it, then the twists got so twisty I thought I was riding a roller coaster, then I stayed up WAYYY TOOOO LATE reading the last half of the book because I HAD TO FIND OUT WHO THE LIAR WAS!!!!   (hint: they all were)

Needless to say, I highly recommend it.

Eighteen-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.  But the case is dredged up from the past when the Price family agrees to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again. Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And—could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . . From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl’s search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is.  (Picture and description from Amazon)

The next book I was going to read has a similar plot but I feel like a I need to take a break and find a light hearted love story to carry me for a while :)

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, book #31

 

Absolutely hysterical, lots of science snuck in when you weren't looking, and eye opening all at the same time.  

What’s to be done about a jaywalking moose? A bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? Three hundred years ago, animals that broke the law would be assigned legal representation and put on trial. These days, as New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology.  Roach tags along with animal-attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and "danger tree" faller blasters. Intrepid as ever, she travels from leopard-terrorized hamlets in the Indian Himalaya to St. Peter’s Square in the early hours before the pope arrives for Easter Mass, when vandal gulls swoop in to destroy the elaborate floral display. She taste-tests rat bait, learns how to install a vulture effigy, and gets mugged by a macaque.  Combining little-known forensic science and conservation genetics with a motley cast of laser scarecrows, langur impersonators, and trespassing squirrels, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature’s lawbreakers. When it comes to "problem" wildlife, she finds, humans are more often the problem―and the solution. Fascinating, witty, and humane, Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat. (picture and description at Amazon)

Next I'll be working on TWO book club books, as it is finally time for our Franklin High School Faculty Book Club to start up again!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Up from the Ash Heap (The Mountain Redemption Series Book 1); book #30

 

There were many things I liked about this book and a few I didn't.  I love how it follows the story of Ruth and Naomi, just set in a different time period.  However, they seemed to focus A LOT on the miserableness of Raye and Emeline and that was only sad sad sad.  I mean, you know somehow the good guy is going to come and rescue them, but when?!?  He doesn't show up until nearly the last 25% of the book. And I wondered how far they would take the "laying down and uncovering his feet" thing, I must say they took a lot of poetic liberty with that.  

There are two other books in the series, about the other two sister-in-laws, but I'm not sure if I'll read them or not.  I know others might, so I'll see if they think it is worth it.

Raya Applewood is always laughing, and as loyal as the day is long. But when a tragedy rips through the Applewood family leaving her husband and his two brothers dead, she has a difficult choice ahead. Should she go back East with her mother-in-law where she would face prejudice and hardship, or return to her father’s house? Either way, the road ahead is riddled with difficulties.  Atlas Fairbury is a wealthy businessman who never figured on marrying. But when a beautiful young widow enters his employment, her character, loyalty, and capacity for love turn his head. As he falls deeply for her, he wants to give her every good thing to make her life better. The only problem is, she feels unworthy of his love and incapable of receiving it. Raya appreciates everything Atlas has done for them and seeks to show her gratitude through her service. Working long hours to convey her thanks, she can’t understand why he’s displeased by her efforts. After both heartache and joy, Raya finds herself with another choice to make. This time, with all their futures hanging in the balance, she needs the guidance of Mother Emaline—and her Redeemer—to find her way forward.  Will Raya continue to only accept what she can earn, or will she finally realize that love has always been a gift freely given and receive it as such, allowing herself to be loved more fully than she could ever deserve? And if so, will she be too late?  (picture and description from Amazon)

I have started a fun little non fiction book I can't wait to share with you when I finish it.  And our Franklin Faculty Book Club has picked a book I can't wait to read!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak: Lessons on Faith from Nine BIblical Families, book #29

 

This book took me a while to get through, but it was really amazing and brought things I had never thought about:

 - It is through the bravery & sacrifice of Jochabed & Miriam that the entire story of Scripture unfolds.

 - At the heart of her story, although Naomi was grieving, she could see God's hand in her own life and in the lives of her people. So she stepped out in faith: she packed up to take her weary, grief stricken heart back to home to her people.

 - How long had it been since Zechariah had prayed for a son? Was there a point when he assumed it was no longer even worth asking? Are there hopes and dreams you've abandoned, things you prayed over for years and then put on a shelf for good? We often cannot see how God is weaving together the threads of our lives until long after the tapestry is complete. He may present you with an answer you never imagined decades after your original request.

 - As the man handpicked to lead the nation of Israel, David had once been humble and totally reliant of God. Let this be a bright red warning flag to every one of us. Just because we have walked closely with our heavenly Father, trusting Him through impossible challenges and seeing His faithfulness over and over again, does not mean we cannot fall into grievous sin.

God always keeps His promises, but not always in the way we expect….  “Have faith” is a phrase we hear all the time. But what does it actually look like to live it out? In The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak, Shannon Bream examines the lives of biblical women to see how God’s plans can turn our worlds upside down.  She tells the story of Jochebed, a mother who took enormous risks to protect her son, Moses, from Pharaoh. Could Jochebed have imagined that God’s actual design for her son involved flight into exile and danger? And yet this was all part of the master plan to deliver Israel from slavery. Another biblical mother, Rebekah, made terrible choices in an attempt to ensure her son’s place in history. And a daughter, Michal, struggled to keep her faithless father, Saul, from sin, while battling pride in herself.  Through these stories, Shannon explains the intimate connection between faith and family—and how God’s unexpected agenda can redefine the way we think about family. Not all of these mothers and daughters in the Bible were paragons of virtue. Like us, they were human beings who faltered and struggled to do their best. While some heard God’s voice, others chose their own paths. Through the lens of their imperfections, we can see how God used their stories to bring about His divine plans. He’s still doing the same work in our lives today.  The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak shows that faith is more often a twisting road than a straight line. Yet, as the stories of biblical families attest, at the end of these journeys lies greater peace and joy than we could ever imagine. (picture and description from Amazon)

I've already started our next book club ~ and it looks amazing!  I can't wait to share it with you!

Keep Reading, even when you are busy!  You need to escape :)

Melissa

All She Left Behind, book #28

 

Moving right along during my Reading Era this summer ...

Already well-versed in the natural healing properties of herbs and oils, Jennie Pickett longs to become a doctor. But the Oregon frontier of the 1870s doesn't approve of such innovations as women attending medical school. To leave grief and guilt behind, as well as support herself and her challenging young son, Jennie cares for an elderly woman using skills she's developed on her own. When her patient dies, Jennie discovers that her heart has become entangled with the woman's widowed husband, a man many years her senior. Their unlikely romance may lead her to her ultimate goal--but the road will be winding and the way forward will not always be clear. Will Jennie find shelter in life's storms? Will she discover where healing truly lives? (Picture and description at Amazon)

I'm really thinking the next one will for sure be a non-fiction.  

Summer is over for me, as the students where I work will be back on Monday.  I've been at work for three weeks, but it always still feels like summer because we wear shorts & messy clothes and doesn't really feel like real work.  (But trust me, it is! 😏)

What are you reading these days?

Melissa

Sunrise Reef (Hope Harbor #11), book 27

 

Sigh, I always love me some Hope Harbor!  Last night as I was going to bed I told Katie I was going to finish this book and I was going to be sad, because I always hate ending these.  I did find out she is writing another one, but it won't come out until next spring!

After years of searching, Bren Ryan has found her place in Hope Harbor. Working as a barista suits her to a T, as does the laid-back vibe of her adopted town. Nothing is lacking in her life--except romance. But that's okay. Men are a complication she doesn't need.  Buttoned-up CPA Noah Ward isn't looking for love, either, when he arrives in town on a mission to convince his father to move closer to him. And he certainly doesn't intend to fall for the quirky, free-spirited woman who's taken up residence in his father's guest cottage. But when he finds himself sucked into her quest to help a struggling teen, might the two of them discover there's more to each other than meets the eye?  (picture and description at Amazon)

This week for Book Club we are making a road trip to Bowling Green to see our friend Marilyn who moved up that way.  We are all very excited!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Driftwood Bay (Hope Harbor #5), book #26

 

When we decided to read the latest Hope Harbor novel I realized I had never read this one, so I went and remedied that quickly!  It is just amazing that even though I have read these with months in between, I con go right back to Hope or and see all my friends in a minute :)  Oh, if only Hope Harbor was a real place!

After tragedy upends her world, Jeannette Mason retreats to the tiny Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor to create a new life. Vowing to avoid emotional attachments, she focuses on running her lavender farm and tearoom--until a new neighbor with a destructive dog and a forlorn little girl invades her turf. But she needn't worry. Dr. Logan West is too busy coping with an unexpected family, a radical lifestyle change, and an unruly pup to have any interest in his aloof and disagreeable neighbor.  Yet when both Jeanette and Logan find themselves pulled into the life of a tattered Christian family fleeing persecution in war-torn Syria, might they discover that love sometimes comes calling when it's least expected? (picture and description at Amazon)

I'm already half way through the new one, but I don't want it to end!  

Happy Summer Reading!

Melissa

The Last Exchange, book #25

 

Ok, when I first started this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it.  I mean, I'm always up for a good mystery, but this one had me stumped.  The chapters were all titled either After or Before and it took me nearly 3/4 of the book to figured out what happened to make an After and a Before.  I read it pretty quick, despite the fact that it leaped back and forth in time, mainly because I kept waiting for it to make sense.  But if you stick with it, in the end it all becomes clear.  There weren't too many surprises once you started figuring things out, but it was still a good read in the end.  

When MacThomas Pockets finished his last tour as part of the Scottish Special Forces, he was hired to consult for a film director to finesse some scenes that weren't working. In a twist he never saw coming, he ended up moving to L.A. to work as the bodyguard for movie star Maybe Joe Sue.  It didn't take long for Pockets to realize there were two Joe Sues: The Joe Sue the public saw with her perfect life and her Hollywood husband. And the private Joe Sue: the one with the traumatic youth that no amount of pills could cover up, who desperately wanted a child of her own.  Even after their paths diverged, he continued to track Joe Sue's life. Only a few would notice when the bottom fell out. But he did. And that's when he stepped in. (picture and description at Amazon)

I'm debating picking up a non-fiction for next time, but I'm just not sure yet.  I'm excited about our book for Book Club, but we aren't meeting until later in the month, so I feel like I could for sure squeeze in another book before I read that one.

Happy Reading!

Melissa

The Best Summer of our Lives, book #24

 

This book had been on my Amazon Books list for a while, because who doesn't like a good book by Rachel Hauck?, and my sweet Katie got it for me for my birthday.  I couldn't wait to get into it, and now that it is finally summer I "dove" right in.  10 stars ~ go read it!

Twenty years ago, the summer of '77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde's life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow--the Four Seasons--had big plans.  But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, "Nowhere," Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures.  Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It's a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love's voice. (Picture and description at Amazon)

Happy Summer Reading!

Melissa

The Hideaway, book #23

 

I'm happy to report that this book ended up better than I originally thought.  Yes, it sounded like, as Katie said, many other books I've read, but it all came together nicely.  The thing that I didn't like about this book personally, is the lack to God/Jesus.  I may have been mistaken that she was a Christian fiction author, but it was published by Thomas Nelson.  

When her grandmother’s will wrenches Sara back to her small hometown of Sweet Bay, Alabama, she must face family secrets and difficult choices. In the South, family is always more complicated than it seems.  After her last remaining family member dies, Sara Jenkins goes home to The Hideaway, her grandmother Mags’s ramshackle B&B in Sweet Bay. She intends to quickly tie up loose ends then return to her busy life and thriving antique shop in New Orleans. Instead, she learns Mags has willed The Hideaway to her and charged her with renovating it—no small task considering her grandmother’s best friends, a motley crew of senior citizens, still live there.  Rather than hurrying back to New Orleans, Sara stays in Sweet Bay and begins the biggest house-rehabbing project of her career. Amid drywall dust, old memories, and a charming contractor, she discovers that slipping back into life at The Hideaway is easier than she expected.  Then she discovers a box Mags left in the attic with clues to a life Sara never imagined for her grandmother. With help from Mags’s friends, Sara begins to piece together the mysterious life of bravery, passion, and choices that changed her grandmother’s destiny in both marvelous and devastating ways.  When an opportunistic land developer threatens to seize The Hideaway, Sara is forced to make a choice—stay in Sweet Bay and fight for the house and the people she’s grown to love or leave again and return to her successful but solitary life in New Orleans. (picture and description at Amazon)

I have gotten a fair amount of rest from our big weekend and the months leading up to it, but I feel my laziness kicks in way too quick.  I always try to find a balance in these few weeks I have off.

Keep Reading!

O:)

Melissa

Love Finds You ... in Lonesome Prairie, Montana, book #22

 

This takes us back to the pioneers & indians and it was a really good read.  The description below doesn't really do it justice, just trust me it's a good one.

In 1890, Julia Cavanaugh travels west from New York City to unite orphans in her care with new families.  Imagine her horror when she discovers that she’s to be “delivered,” too–as bride to an uncouth miner! But with no return fare, Julia’s options are bleak.  What does God have planned for her on the lonesome prairies of Montana? (picture and description at Amazon)

Not sure the next book I've already started will be as good, but we shall see.  

In other news, these two lovebirds got married last weekend! 😊I've never in my life seen two people so happy at the their wedding and laughing with joy all day long.

Keep Reading!

Melissa

The Wedding Machine, book #21

 

If I've said it once this year, I've said it a million times.  Don't judge a book by it's cover!  This one looked like a fun read ~ perfect since Leah's wedding is coming up in just one week! - and it even sounded cute too.  

But alas .... not a BAD book, just not as silly and funny as I thought it would be.  Much deeper than I imagined.  

Welcome to Jasper, South Carolina. A place where Southern hospitality thrives. Where social occasions are done right. And where, for generations, the four most upstanding ladies of this community ensure that the daughters of Jasper are married in the proper manner.  Friends from school days, "the gals" have long pooled their silver, china, and know-how to pull off beautiful events. They're a force of nature, a well-oiled machine. But the wedding machine's gears start to stick during the summer their own daughters line up to tie the knot. In the lowcountry heat and humidity, tempers flare, old secrets leak out . . . and both love and gardenias bloom in unlikely places. (picture and description at Amazon)

Next up I'm back out west, with orphans and maybe a bride?

Happy summer reading!

Melissa

A Bride for a Bit, book #20

Remember me telling you to just keep reading?  Well, this one was another absolutely amazing book!  Even though I read a few I didn't particularly care of so far this year, the last book and this one are quickly making up for it!  

I knew this book was going to be super fun and I was not entirely disappointed.  It is a "series" book of sorts ~ there are stories about four different sisters and there were four different authors.  It is always interesting to read a continuing story, where one author picks up where another ends.  The last story was not my favorite, I just felt like the characters were not fleshed out enough and the action was really short.  But all in all I would recommend it!

Misreading an order for bridles, a New England farmer sends his four sisters-in-law as mail-order brides to Lickwind, Wyoming. When the four women step off the train, astonishment turns to mayhem as the men of the town suddenly spruce up and make time for courting. Since James Collingswood - still without tack for his horses - can't afford train tickets to send the women back, they'll have to stay. But what future is there in Lickwind for: Matty, the sociable sister who irritates James' very soul with her unending friendliness to the eager men of Lickwind. Corrine, the mom-to-be still so pained over her young husband's death that she barely knows Luke Collingswood is alive. Bess, who insists that the town must have a church, reform the brothel women, and straighten up the saloon keeper, Gideon Rikers. Bertie, who can outperform any man she ever meets...until the mysterious Thomas Hardin becomes her personal protection agency. Under such absurd circumstances, the sisters will certainly find laughter in Lickwind...but will they also find love? One thing's for sure - the town will never be the same again! (picture and description at Amazon)

Not sure yet what I'm reading next, there is a nonfiction that has caught my eye, but with the next two weeks being a blur of finishing school and final wedding planning, I might just need to pick up a fun, light fiction.  

What's on your summer reading list?

Melissa

 

Secret Agent Father, book #19

 

Ok yes, I full on expected cheesy with this book.  It's a small book, only 216 pages and the description sounded so-so.  BUT AGAIN, let's not judge a book by that!!  I was pleasantly surprised that this was a really, really good book!  I'd higly recommend it if you can find it.

Although he’s never met the boy who arrives on his doorstep, undercover DEA agent Alex McCade can’t deny the truth. The four-year-old is his child, and—like father, like son—little Cody has landed himself in the middle of a dangerous situation.  Cody is the only one who can identify his mother’s killer. And the boy’s beautiful aunt, Shelby Jacobson, is hoping that Alex can help uncover the truth. Now, with a killer after his newfound family, Alex will do anything to keep Cody and Shelby safely by his side.  (picture and description at Amazon)

I've already started another one from the stack of my mother in law's books and it is a HOOT!  I'm only part was through and am loving every bit of it!

Happy Reading!

Melissa

Home Sweet Tiny Home, book #17

 

A little cheesy, a little predictable, but a quick, fun read none the less.

Kate Burrows has a life many would envy—a good job at a design firm, a huge house, beautiful memories of the late husband who gave her everything, and two grown kids doing well for themselves. But it’s all begun to ring hollow as she wanders around a house that’s too big for her. So when she gets caught up in binge watching a show all about tiny homes, something clicks—something that soon has Kate embarking on a whole new life.  Though some people call her crazy, she decides to quit her job and relocate to the small tourist town she and her husband always wanted to retire to, and to buy a tiny home of her own. The Lord seems to be paving the way, and she soon meets just the person she needs to help her get her dream going—and even growing! Hank Branson, architect and gentleman farmer, is quick to jump on board her dream to parcel some land off for tiny homes, and soon they have a community in the works.  But is Kate in over her head? How can she possibly uproot her whole life and chase dreams long dormant? Can Hank and his beautiful farm be as perfect as they seem? And what about their competition—the gregarious, confident Glen who won’t take no for an answer?  Kate may be moving into a tiny house…but it soon becomes clear she’s in for a big adventure. (picture and description at Amazon)

Can't wait till Book Club this week!

Keep reading ...

Melissa

Divine, book #16

 

Wow wow wow.  I've been suffering through books lately and not enjoying them, but this has made up for it!  In fact, I read all 350 pages in TWO DAYS!!!  It almost reminded me of reading Redeeming Love ~ you LITERALLY can not put it down!!  Go find this book and read it NOW!!

Mary Madison is educated and redeemed, a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. But she also has a past that shamed polite society. A survivor of unspeakable horror, Mary has battled paralyzing fear, faithlessness, addiction, and promiscuity. Yet even in her darkest valley, Mary was sustained from afar, prayed over by a grandmother who clung to the belief that God had special plans for Mary. Now a divine power has set Mary free to bring life-changing hope and love to battered women living in the shadow of the nation’s capital―women like Emma Johnson. A single mother fleeing an abusive relationship, Emma wonders whether there is hope for her and her young daughters. She is desperate, broken, and unloved . . . and tempted to commit the unthinkable. Then Mary introduces Emma to the greatest love of all, greater than any either of them has ever imagined. (Picture and description from Amazon)

We are in the process of cleaning out my MIL's house and she has A LOT of books.  I brought home about 2 bags full, so that should keep my busy with "real books" -- my goal for this year.

See what I say ... just keep reading, you'll get to a good one again!

Melissa

The Orchard, book #15

 

Not my favorite book by a long shot.  This could have been half as long without all the unnecessary details in every sentence.   

For generations, Ellie Hostetler's family has tended their Lancaster County orchard, a tradition her twin brother, Evan, will someday continue. Yet when Evan's draft number is called up in the lottery for the Vietnam War, the family is shocked to learn he has not sought conscientious objector status, despite their Old Order Amish belief in non-resistance. The faraway war that has caused so much turmoil and grief among their Englisher neighbors threatens too close to home.  As Evan departs for boot camp, Ellie confides her disappointment toSol Bontrager, the brother of her best friend and cousin to her new beau, Menno. In contrast to Evan, Sol is a conscientious objector. Despite Ellie's attraction to Menno, she finds herself drawn to Sol's steady presence as they work together in the orchard. Suddenly, it feels as if everything in Ellie's world is shifting, and the plans she held so dear seem increasingly uncertain. Can she and her family find the courage to face a future unlike any they could have imagined?  (Picture and description at Amazon)

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Lady of Milkweed Manor, book #14

 

I have read several books by Julie Klassen (see here, here, and here) and I even watched a "Book Talk" with her and a few other authors.  You have to be in the mood for Julie's books (they are thicker than most and take place mostly in the Victorian Era) but if you are, you are in for a treat!  I did not realize this was actually the first book she ever wrote, but reflecting back I can see where (even at 416 pages!) it is not as detailed as some of her others.  I still highly recommend it! (Funny note, I had a hard copy of this book that I read that I think I got at a used bookstore sometime, then later realized it is actually on my Paperwhite!)

Even a proper vicar’s daughter can make a mistake…and now Charlotte Lamb must pay a high price for her fall. To avoid the prying eyes of all who know her, she hides herself away in London’s forbidding “Milkweed Manor,” a place of mystery and lore, of old secrets and new birth.  But once there, she comes face to face with a suitor from her past–a man who now hides secrets of his own. Both are determined, with God’s help, to protect those they love. But neither can imagine the depth of sacrifice that will be required.  Sprinkled with fascinating details about the lives of women in Regency England, Lady of Milkweed Manor is a moving romantic drama about the redemption of past failings and the beauty of sacrificial love. (picture and description at Amazon)

Not sure what is up next, I've got a busy week or two with graduations, wedding showers, and work!  But I still want to find something for my few minutes of escape!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

A Cousin's Promise, book #13

 

Finally back to the books I love! :)  

Willkumm to the lush and lavish Amish country where Wanda Brunstetter’s new romantic series, Indiana Cousins, begins with A Cousin’s Promise. Loraine Miller finds herself torn between the love of two good men—Wayne Lambright who, crippled after a tragic accident, feels himself unworthy of her love; and Jake Beechy who, after having abandoned her to explore the English world, returns to renew their courtship. To which man will she pledge her love and loyalty—for better or worse, until death they do part? (picture and description at Amazon)

It is worth it to keep reading, even after hitting a book you didn't like!

Melissa

We were Liars, book #12

 

Don't ask.  I read it for a contest at the library.  I probably won't even win.  While I can see it why it was an award winning book, the story itself was icky.  Consider this a long commnercial break.  

A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True love.

The truth.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Now back to regularly scheduled programming. 😶

Keep reading, even when you hate the book, because there is a chance it will redeem itself.  This one did not, it dropped the bomb at the end, but plenty of others do. Here's hoping the next one I pick up will be better. 

Melissa

The Blindsight of Grace, book #11

 

Don't waste your time.

Suffering is a refining fire for the soul. And twenty-two-year-old Grace Sinclair knows what it means to suffer. At the age of eleven, a brain injury from a tragic car accident left her unable to see. Then, her father was murdered in front of her older brother, and her mother lost her life to COVID-19. But although her world was shrouded in darkness, Grace chose to persevere and walk by faith—as any blind person must learn to do. If only her brother shared her reliance on God.  Travis Sinclair had been the cause of his sister’s blindness. He had been driving the car. He had run the stop sign. And his little sister paid with her sight. He would never forgive himself for that. And just before she died, his mother made him promise that he would take care of his little sister, no matter what.  After inheriting his parents’ home and a hundred and seventy acres in rural Tennessee, Travis spares no expense in preparing for the coming apocalypse. Post-traumatic stress has made him a doomsday prepper. With his store of provisions, his arsenal of weapons, and his underground bunker, Travis keeps spending money to prepare for the worst, despite the bank’s threat to foreclose on his property. But when he is falsely imprisoned for the murder of his neighbor, all hope seems lost.  Cody Blevins is a college criminal justice major and a part-time intern for the FBI. After a chance encounter with Grace, he becomes infatuated with her despite his better judgment. After all, this girl is blind. What kind of relationship could they have? But it doesn’t matter. He is drawn to Grace despite the challenges he would face with her. But when her brother is arrested for murder, and the local sheriff is convinced of his guilt, Cody knows that his chance meeting with Grace is no accident. God had put him there for a reason. He is about to have his first murder investigation. And for Grace, the stakes couldn’t be higher. (picture and description from Amazon)

Move along, let's see what's next ...

Keep reading, the next one has to be better :)

Melissa